Papua New Guinea: Maps, History, Geography, Government, Culture, Facts, Guide & Travel/Holidays/Cities Australia and New Zealand Help Manage Election Geography Papua New Guinea occupies the eastern half of the island of New Guinea, just north of Australia, and many outlying islands. The Indonesian province of West Papua (Irian Jaya) is to the west. To the north and east are the islands of Manus, New Britain, New Ireland, and Bougainville, all part of Papua New Guinea. About one-tenth larger than California, its mountainous interior has only recently been explored. Two major rivers, the Sepik and the Fly, are navigable for shallow-draft vessels. Government Constitutional monarchy with parliamentary democracy. History The first inhabitants of the island New Guinea were Papuan, Melanesian, and Negrito tribes, who altogether spoke more than 700 distinct languages. The eastern half of New Guinea was first explored by Spanish and Portuguese explorers in the 16th century. In 1828, the Dutch formally took possession of the western half of the island (now the province of West Papua [Irian Jaya], Indonesia).

In 1885, Germany formally annexed the northern coast and Britain took similar action in the south. In 1906, Britain transferred its rights to British New Guinea to a newly independent Australia, and the name of the territory was changed to the Territory of Papua. Australian troops invaded German New Guinea (called Kaiser-Wilhelmsland) in World War I and gained control of the territory under a League of Nations mandate. New Guinea and some of Papua were invaded by Japanese forces in 1942. After being liberated by the Australians in 1945, it became a United Nations trusteeship, administered by Australia. The territories were combined and called the Territory of Papua and New Guinea (PNG). Australia granted limited home rule in 1951. Autonomy in internal affairs came nine years later, and in Sept. 1975, Papua New Guinea achieved complete independence from Britain. A violent nine-year secessionist movement took place on the island of Bougainville. In 1989, guerrillas of the Bougainville Revolutionary Army (BRA) shut down the island's Australian-owned copper mine, a major source of revenue for the country.

The rebels believed that Bougainville deserved a greater share of the earnings for its copper. In 1990, the BRA declared Bougainville's independence, whereupon the government blockaded the island until Jan. 1991, when a peace treaty was signed. On July 17, 1998, an earthquake-triggered tsunami off the northern coast of PNG killed at least 1,500 people and left thousands more injured and homeless. Many analysts say Papua New Guinea is in danger of political and economic collapse. The country's political system is unstable, the crime rate has soared, corruption is rampant, and essential services including health care and education continue to decline. According to the World Bank, 70% of the country lives in poverty. In 2006, Australia announced that it was gravely concerned about the country and had peacekeeping forces at the ready. Sir Michael Somare was elected to a second consecutive term as prime minister in August 2007, defeating Sir Julius Chan. Governor-General Sir Paulias Matane was reelected in June 2010, but was removed from office after the Supreme Court ruled that the election was unconstitutional.

Jeffery Nape became acting governor-general on Dec. 13, but without explanation, Michael Ogio took over as acting governor-general on Dec. 20. In April 2011, a tribunal convicted Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare of misconduct and suspended him for two weeks. Citing ill health, he extended his absence and Sam Abal became acting prime minister. Somare officially resigned in June. In August, the parliamentary-designated vacancy in the prime minister's office and the election of Peter O'Neill were ruled illegal by the Supreme Court, who then ordered the reinstatement of Sir Michael Somare as prime minister. Mr. O'Neill refused to acknowledge the order and remained in office. A rebel group led by Colonel Sasa mutinied, but failed in its attempt to restore Somare's prime ministership. Parliamentary elections take place in June 2012. New Guinea | island, Malay Archipelago | Britannica.com island, Malay Archipelago Gregory Bateson New Guinea, island of the eastern Malay Archipelago , in the western Pacific Ocean , north of Australia .

It is bounded by the Pacific Ocean to the north, the Bismarck and Solomon seas to the east, the Coral Sea and Torres Strait to the south, and the Arafura Sea to the southwest. New Guinea is administratively divided into two parts: its western half comprises the Indonesian propinsi (or provinsi; provinces) of Papua and West Papua (collectively, formerly called Irian Jaya); and its eastern half comprises the major part of Papua New Guinea , an independent country since 1975. Owen Stanley Range, New Guinea, Papua New Guinea. ColinF New Guinea is the second largest island in the world, exceeded in size only by Greenland . It is about 1,500 miles (2,400 km) long (from northwest to southeast) and about 400 miles (650 km) wide at its widest (north to south) part. Area island, 317,150 square miles (821,400 square km). Pop.

(2010) Papua and West Papua provinces including nearby islands, 3,593,803; (2011) Papua New Guinea excluding islands, 6,178,781. Land An unbroken chain of mountains with peaks above 13,000 feet (4,000 metres) in elevation extends across New Guinea from the northwest to the southeast, rising to 16,024 feet (4,884 metres) at Jaya Peak in western Papua province—the highest point in Indonesia . The summits of the chain are glaciated, and the mountains incorporate extinct volcanoes and elongated, fertile highland basins usually above 4,900 feet (1,490 metres) in elevation. To the north of the mountain chain is a deep structural trench occupied by the valleys of the Mamberamo , Sepik , Ramu , and Markham rivers. Fronting the north-central coastal plains of New Guinea is a series of fault-rimmed mountains that generally lie below 11,500 feet (3,505 metres).

The mostly lowland Bomberai Peninsula and the more mountainous Doberai Peninsula constitute the extreme northwestern part of the island. Mount Wilhelm, part of the Bismarck Range, Papua New Guinea. Nomadtales Alcatraz Island South of the central mountain chain is the Fly-Digul shelf , a vast swampy plain crossed by numerous rivers including the Fly , Bian, Digul , Mapi, Pulau, and Lorentz. To the southeast the Owen Stanley Range extends about 200 miles (320 km) and forms a wide peninsula, separating the Solomon Sea to the north from the Coral Sea to the south. The climate of New Guinea is basically tropical, with mean annual maximum temperatures ranging between 86 and 90 °F (30 and 32 °C) in the lowlands; daytime temperatures in the highlands generally exceed 72 °F (22 °C) year-round. The southeast trade winds blow for about seven months each year, and rainfall on the southward-facing slopes of the central highlands frequently exceeds 300 inches (7,620 mm) annually.

Consequently, the Fly-Digul shelf and bordering highlands are one of the world’s wettest places and also one of the least-inhabited. The central highlands receive rain throughout the year totaling between 100 and 160 inches (2,540 and 4,065 mm). Port Moresby on the southeastern coast receives only about 40 inches (1,000 mm) of rain per year. New Guinea has a rich variety of plant life, including orchids, figs, and species of false beech. Mangrove swamps are found along the coastline almost everywhere. Farther inland mangroves are succeeded by nipa palms. Large stands of sago palms are found along the deltas and rivers of the southern coast. Primary lowland rainforest covers much of New Guinea up to about 3,300 feet (1,000 metres) above sea level. In the central highlands above 3,300 feet, stands of oak, beech, and pine are common. Wildlife includes many reptiles and such marsupials as the tree kangaroo and phalanger.

Notable birds are the cassowary (a large, flightless bird), the spectacular birds of paradise, and parrots. People All About Asia Almost the whole of New Guinea is occupied by speakers of Papuan languages , the original settlers of the island, who live mainly in the interior and southern sections. Papuan societies are characterized by leadership invested in local “big men” and by reciprocal gift giving. Ethnic composition is complex among the Papuans, who speak some 700 different languages. Constituting a small minority are communities of speakers of Austronesian (Melanesian) languages on the western, northern, and eastern coasts and on many of the affiliated offshore islands. There are also some Polynesians, Chinese, and Europeans. Several pidgins, such as Tok Pisin and Hiri Motu, are widely spoken; Indonesian (the official language of Indonesia) and English (the official language of Papua New Guinea) are also spoken. Although about two-thirds of Papua New Guinea’s population is Christian, traditional religious beliefs and rituals are still widely practiced. Dwellings in a village of Papua propinsi, Indonesia. © Tyler Olson/Shutterstock.com Ringling Bros.

Folds Its Tent Throughout most of the highland basins, much of the natural vegetation has been removed by the relatively intensive agriculture of the highlanders. The central highlands are the most densely populated part of the island. Swidden ( slash-and-burn , or shifting) cultivation is practiced in the forested foothills to the north of the central highlands and in the grasslands of the Mamberamo and Sepik river basins, where the population is sparse. The north coast is also generally well populated. Economy Copper and gold are the main mineral resources of the island. One of the largest concentrations of copper in the world is at Tembagapura, about 25 miles (40 km) southwest of Mount Jaya in Papua. Another major deposit of copper has been developed just inside Papua New Guinea among the headwaters of the Fly River at Ok Tedi. Large amounts of gold also are produced at Ok Tedi. Petroleum is extracted in the Doberai Peninsula area of Papua and near Lake Kutubu in the central highlands of Papua New Guinea. Natural gas has been discovered in the Fly-Kikori area in Papua New Guinea. Sweet-potato farming, Southern Highlands province, Papua New Guinea.

Bob and Ira Spring The bulk of New Guinea’s population are subsistence farmers. Yams, taro, sago, and bananas are the lowland staple foods, and the sweet potato is the main highland food; pig husbandry is widespread. Cash crops in Papua New Guinea include coffee, cacao, copra, palm oil, tea, and rubber; skyjack tuna, prawns, and timber are also exported. Internal transport consists of a few secondary coastal roads, riverboats, and airways, with the latter becoming increasingly important. History Map of West Papua - Indonesia South East Asia Map of Papua From Worldwide Map of Papua From Indonesia Irian Jaya - West Papua The Land Irian – West Papua, recently known as Indonesia’s most eastern Province of Papua is the western half of the island of second largest island in the world after Greenland – New Guinea.

It occupies a vast territory and stretchs from 00 19’ to 100 45’ South Latitude and from 1300 45’ to 1410 48’ East Longitude, with number of islands along the coastline like : Biak, Numfor, Yapen, Mapia, and Meosum islands to the north; Salawati, Batanta, Gag Waigeo, and Yefman islands to the west; and Kalepon, Komoron, Adi Dolok, and Panjang to the south. The total land area 410,600 km sq ( 160,134 sq miles and measures 1,200 kms ( 744 miles ) from East to West ( Jayapura to Sorong ) and 736 kms ( 456 miles ) from North to South ( Jayapura to Merauke ). The land topography consist of tidal lowlands in the coastal areas and mountainous regions covered by endless carpets of solid rain forest, spectacular grasslands and wild sugarcane – covered valleys.

Meandering rivers wind through the verdant countryside and emptying into azure seas ringed by coral – lagooned coastlines. The central part of the island is a cloud – piercing rugged mountain ranges extends 406 miles and divides the island into north and south. There are three highest peak at these mountain ranges i.e : Carstenz at 4.800 meters , Trikora at 3.700 meters and Yamin at 3.4000 meters above sea levels are eternally covered with snow. Flora and Fauna The flora and fauna of Irian – West Papua are unique. The wildlife is strange and diverse, and much of it can not be found anywhere else. About 650 species of birds in Irian, of which 454 are indigenous makes Irian as the best place for birding. Among these are the spectacular bird of paradise (Paradise spoda), the exotic blue mambruk (Gobravictorial), and the flightless caaowary (Kasuarius), which is related to the Australian emu.

Most of these species are shared, at least in their origin with Australian, which was until fairly recent geological time, part of the same landmass. Experts estimate that insects species number in hundreds of thousands including magnificent bird-wing butterflies and more than 800 species of spider. Strangerly, in this huge landmass there is no large mammals or primate can be seen. The only large animal can be seen are wild pig or boars, cassowari bird ( flightless bird ) and fresh water corocodile found in the large river in the coastal swampy areas. Along the north and south coastal areas giant saltwater crocodile occupies the remote territory. With an estimated 2,000 nautical mile coastline and numerous rivers and lakes, Irian – West Papua has many fish and other exotic sea-life. In Adddition to its vast resources of fish and marines life, its corals, reefs and other tropical sea life are the best sites for diving and snorkeling. Irian – West Papua has the richest concentration of plant life in Indonesia or maybe in the world, many species are medicinal but many more are unknown.

About 90% of the land or 40 million hectares, is covered by dense forest that range from lowland tropical rain forest to dry evergreen forest even medium and high altitude alpine growth. There are more than 1,000 species of trees in Irian, and of these about 150 varieties are commercially viable, including gaharu tree Climate Irian – West Papua lies just south of equator, but, due to its mountainous terrain, its climate is more varied than other parts of Indonesia. The People and Tradition There are two native people groups to be found in Papua. Melanesians (generally islanders such as Biak and Sorong) and Papuans (formerly known as Negritos) with two distinct Papuan and Austronesian language groups. What is known is that approximately 40,000 years ago the first Papuans arrived by boat/raft in West New Guinea. The later arrival of the Austronesians pushed the Papuans eastward resulting in the occupation of the highlands about 30,000 years ago.

It is assumed that the Papuans originated in Africa with one theory postulating their departure as in East Africa - near what is now Madagascar - and moving through mainland Asia and then into the islands. The Papuans went on to populate the mountain areas and most of the lowland areas. What is not clear is if there were two similar migrations through both the lowlands and the highlands or if there was one basic migration with people sometimes moving to the mountains from the lowlands and sometimes moving from the mountains to the lowlands. Both of these native people groups bring their own tradition with them which remain unchanged until the arrival of European explorer at early 16th and 17th century and even recently after the intergration of West New Guinea or Papua into Indonesia or after the arrival of western missionaries who stayed and live together with local Papuans. In most areas exception in some main principal towns, the natives living in contrast together with a new modern living of some new outsider who settle the island for varies purposes and different background. The rugged mountain terrain and impenetrable tropical rain forest of the north and south lowland made several tribal groups in the interior had been isolated for hundreds years and developed a tribal culture, each tribe having its own language.

Expert have divided these 250 languages into four families called phylum, which share less than 5 % of their vocabulary. The most popular phylum is that of Trans-New Guinea, which include about 67% of that languages. History Indonesian New Guinea or Irian – West Papua inhabited for more than ten thousand years. Archaeologist research shown that people have live in the interior of West Papua since the end of the Pleistocene epoch. The ending of the major migrations into the New Guinea area did not of course mean an end to cultural, racial and linguistic interactions with the neighbors. Eastern New Guineans (PNG) in particular maintained trade throughout the local islands. Of course most of that interaction involved the island peoples and only rarely other people groups. Blood (genetic) research confirms the above. An H. C. Bos found genetic conformity between Biak, Halmahera, Seram, Kai islands and Alor. Migrations, war, slave trading and rescued castaways all contributed to this conformity. Certainly the Biak people and their related neighbors were not quietly sitting at home! Records indicate slave raids to the Moluccas, Timor and to East Java.

They also engaged in regular trading but for the most part it seems their visits to parts foreign were hostile. Indeed, for the Kisar Timorese the word Papuan mean pirate! They also were often in Makassar for trade and in particular for trees for the Biak long distance outrigger prahus. Not all these visits were made on their own. The evidence suggests that sometime in the 15th century the Biak area fell under the control of the Tidore Empire. They paid tribute to Tidore which was handled through mediators from Halmahere. Whether as part of their tribute obligations or whether they participated for their own profit (alliance) Biak people often took part in Tidore raids westwards (Java, Timor etc) as well. Other evidence of East-West contact dates even further back. In Borobudur, which dates from the 8th century, can be found friezes depicting frizzy/curly hair peoples. The Negarakertagama, a poem from the 14th century dedicated to the east Javanese king of Majapahit, refers to Papua as well.

Specifically, it names two areas called Onin and Seran on the southwestern side of the Bird's Head Peninsula. Of course for many centuries there has also been trade items such as Birds of Paradise feathers and massoi bark found throughout Indonesia. Clearly contact was ongoing between Papua and the rest of Indonesia. Recently Not until 1511 did Papua meet the Western world when Spanish sailors sighted New Guinea but did not come ashore. In 1527 the Spanish visited and landed in Papua. However, not until the late 1600's does Papua come under Dutch control. In 1855 missionaries began their work in Papua but it was not until 1908 that a permanent presence was established. Dutch control was briefly upset during World War Two but was reestablished thereafter. However, on May 1st 1963 Indonesia assumed full administrative control of West Papua and in 1969 Papua became a full member province of Republik Indonesia which is now named ‘ Province of Papua ”. If you are running business as Tour and Tourism Operator, We are pleased to invite you to join our partner to enrich your product destination especially in Adventure Tour.

Please click button below: Basic Information about Papua | Papua Update Basic Information about Papua Location Papua is the eastern-most part of Indonesia, comprising the left half of the island of New Guinea. Do not confuse it with Papua New Guinea, which instead is the right half of the island of New Guinea and is a different country! There are many more maps of Papua and Indonesia showing location and other physical details on the Maps page . Largest city Jayapura (located in the north-east corner), with a population of at least 200,000. Size Papua’s land area is approximately 420,000 km2. It comprises 21% of the total land area of Indonesia, but is home to only 1% of its population. The whole island of New Guinea is the second largest island on earth, after Greenland. Population Approx 2.6 million (roughly 50% indigenous, 50% migrants from other parts of Indonesia). Languages The national language is Bahasa Indonesia. However there are 264 tribal languages. The inhospitable, rugged terrain isolates tribal communities and creates a great linguistic diversity.

Remarkably, the island of New Guinea as a whole contains about one quarter of the world’s languages. You can click the map on the right to see where all these languages are found throughout Papua. Other language maps can be found on our main Maps page , including an unusual map of the world redrawn to a different scale where the size of a country depends not on its physical area but on the number of different languages spoken in it. Naming & History Papua has an interesting history. When the early explorer Jan Carstensz sailed past the southern coast of New Guinea in 1623, and caught glimpses of snow-capped peaks near the equator, his reports were generally disbelieved upon his return. The island had at that time been named by the Spanish as Nueva Guinea. By 1824, Holland had laid claim to the western half of the island, naming it Netherlands New Guinea as part of their colony of the Dutch East Indies – the famous Spice Islands. A number of early era maps of New Guinea are on the Maps page . During World War II, the Japanese occupied much of the northern coast of Netherlands New Guinea.

They were then driven out by General MacArthur’s New Guinea campaign, beginning with a famous amphibious invasion of Hollandia in 1944. After World War II, when the country of Indonesia was formed in August 1945, Netherlands New Guinea remained under Dutch control. It had a brief period under UN control in 1962, then annexed as a province of Indonesia in 1963, and renamed West Irian. In 1973 its name was changed again to Irian Jaya. In 2002 the province achieved special autonomy status and was allowed to change its name to Papua. Since that time there have been government efforts to split the province into smaller segments, one such split actually happening in 2003, when the western peninsula became its own province named West Irian Jaya. In 2007 that smaller province changed its name to West Papua. With such a varied history, it can be confusing to know what name to use to describe this region of the world! Many people remember the name Irian Jaya which was in use for many years.

Although technically now split into two provinces, most people currently use the name “Papua” to refer to all the western Indonesian half of the island. When this web site uses the name Papua, it is referring to all of the western Indonesian half of the island of New Guinea. Major products/industries Mining (50+% of income), oil, gas, wood and other natural resources. Geography The centre of the province is dominated by a large jungle-covered mountain chain, approximately 600km long by 100 km across, which has some of the most rugged terrain on earth. The highest peak in the chain is Puncak Jaya, 4884m high, which is permanently covered in snow and even has a small glacier, despite being only 2 degrees south of the equator. It is counted by some as one of the world’s Seven Summits . About half of the land in the province is hilly or mountainous. On each side of the mountain chain are extensive lowlands, particularly in the south, with hundreds of kilometers of swampy land . The climate there is hot and humid.

Other notable features include the largest river, the Mamberamo , which flows north from the mountains to the ocean; the Baliem grand valley, a wide valley located 1600m above sea level in the middle of the mountain range; and Lake Sentani , a large fresh water lake despite being very close to the ocean, located near the main city of Jayapura . Ecology Papua is almost entirely covered in tropical forest, and has among the richest biodiversity on earth. Its ecology is estimated to contain approximately 16,000+ species of plants, 80,000+ species of insects, 2700+ species of orchid, and 600+ species of birds, to name a few. However these are only estimations, since much of Papua remains to be explored, much of its ecology is yet to be discovered by science. In 2005, a National Geographic expedition to the remote Foja Mountain region discovered over 40 new species in less than one month, and received a lot of press attention, calling it the “Lost World” expedition .

For more information about Papua, check out our World Team Papua brochure (350Kb PDF format) or browse a collection of internet sources on our Links page . Note: Statistical data about Papua is often variable and conflicting between different sources, including encyclopedias and internet web sites. The summary above has been merged from multiple sources for improved accuracy, but many figures should still be considered more as approximations. Maps! If you enjoy looking at maps of all kinds, check out this Maps page which has a wide variety of maps and charts about Papua and Indonesia, some in very high resolution. Below are thumbnails which give you an idea of the colourful collection we’ve put together… Share this: The World Factbook — Central Intelligence Agency East & Southeast Asia ::PAPUA NEW GUINEA Introduction :: PAPUA NEW GUINEA Background: The eastern half of the island of New Guinea - second largest in the world - was divided between Germany (north) and the UK (south) in 1885. The latter area was transferred to Australia in 1902, which occupied the northern portion during World War I and continued to administer the combined areas until independence in 1975.

A nine-year secessionist revolt on the island of Bougainville ended in 1997 after claiming some 20,000 lives. Since 2001, Bougainville has experienced autonomy. Under the terms of a peace accord, 2015 is the year that a five-year window opens for a referendum on the question of independence. Geography :: PAPUA NEW GUINEA Natural hazards: active volcanism; situated along the Pacific "Ring of Fire"; the country is subject to frequent and sometimes severe earthquakes; mud slides; tsunamis volcanism: severe volcanic activity; Ulawun (elev. 2,334 m), one of Papua New Guinea's potentially most dangerous volcanoes, has been deemed a Decade Volcano by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior, worthy of study due to its explosive history and close proximity to human populations; Rabaul (elev.

688 m) destroyed the city of Rabaul in 1937 and 1994; Lamington erupted in 1951 killing 3,000 people; Manam's 2004 eruption forced the island's abandonment; other historically active volcanoes include Bam, Bagana, Garbuna, Karkar, Langila, Lolobau, Long Island, Pago, St.

Andrew Strait, Victory, and Waiowa People - note: the indigenous population of Papua New Guinea (PNG) is one of the most heterogeneous in the world; PNG has several thousand separate communities, most with only a few hundred people; divided by language, customs, and tradition, some of these communities have engaged in low-scale tribal conflict with their neighbors for millennia; the advent of modern weapons and modern migrants into urban areas has greatly magnified the impact of this lawlessness Government :: PAPUA NEW GUINEA conventional long form: Independent State of Papua New Guinea conventional short form: Papua New Guinea local short form: Papuaniugini former: Territory of Papua and New Guinea abbreviation: PNG etymology: the word "papua" derives from the Malay "papuah" describing the frizzy hair of the Melanesians; Spanish explorer Ynigo ORTIZ de RETEZ applied the term "Nueva Guinea" to the island of New Guinea in 1545 after noting the resemblance of the locals to the peoples of the Guinea coast of Africa Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor Michael OGIO (since 25 February 

2011) head of government: Prime Minister Peter Paire O'NEILL (since 2 August 2011); Deputy Prime Minister Leo DION (since 9 August 2012) cabinet: National Executive Council appointed by the governor general on the recommendation of the prime minister elections/appointments: the monarchy is hereditary; governor general nominated by the National Parliament and appointed by the chief of state; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition usually appointed prime minister by the governor general pending the outcome of a National Parliament vote election results: Peter Paire O'NEILL (PNC) elected prime minister; National Parliament vote - 94 to 12 description: unicameral National Parliament (111 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies - 91 local and 20 provincial - by majority preferential vote; members serve 5-year terms); note - the constitution allows up to 126 seats note: 14 other parties won 3 or fewer seats; association with political parties is fluid elections: last held from 23 June 2012 to 27 July 2012 (next to be held in June 2

017) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - People's National Congress Party 27, Triumph Heritage Empowerment Party 12, PNG Party 8, National Alliance Party 7, United Resources Party 7, People's Party 6, People's Progress Party 6, other 22, independent 16 Judicial branch: highest court(s): Supreme Court (consists of the chief justice, deputy chief justice, and 28 judges); National Courts (13 courts located in the province capitals, with a total of 19 resident judges) judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court chief justice appointed by the governor-general upon advice of the National Executive Council (cabinet) after consultation with the National Justice Administration Minister; deputy chief justice and other justices appointed by the Judicial and Legal Services Commission, a 5-member body to include the Supreme Court chief and deputy chief justices, the chief ombudsman, and a member of the National Parliament; full time citizen judges appointed for 10-year renewable terms; non-citizen judges initially appointed for 3-year renewable terms and after first renewal until age 70; appointment and tenure of National Court resident judges NA subordinate courts: district

, village, and juvenile courts National Alliance Party or NA [Patrick PRUAITCHI] Papua New Guinea Party or PNGP [Beldan NAMAH] People's National Congress Party or PNC [Peter Paire O'NEILL] People's Party or PP (merged with PNC) People's Progress Party or PPP [Sir Julius CHAN] Triumph Heritage Empowerment Party or THE United Resources Party or URP [William DUMA] note: as of 13 March 2012, 41 political parties were registered Centre for Environment Law and Community Rights or Celcor [Damien ASE] Community Coalition Against Corruption chief of mission: Ambassador Catherine EBERT-GRAY (since 23 February 2016); note - also accredited to the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu embassy: Douglas Street, Port Moresby, N.C.D.

mailing address: 4240 Port Moresby Place, US Department of State, Washington DC 20521-4240 telephone: [675] 321-1455 Flag description: divided diagonally from upper hoist-side corner; the upper triangle is red with a soaring yellow bird of paradise centered; the lower triangle is black with five, white, five-pointed stars of the Southern Cross constellation centered; red, black, and yellow are traditional colors of Papua New Guinea; the bird of paradise - endemic to the island of New Guinea - is an emblem of regional tribal culture and represents the emergence of Papua New Guinea as a nation; the Southern Cross, visible in the night sky, symbolizes Papua New Guinea's connection with Australia and several other countries in the South Pacific Economy - overview: Papua New Guinea (PNG) is richly endowed with natural resources, but exploitation has been hampered by rugged terrain, land tenure issues, and the high cost of developing infrastructure. The economy has a small formal sector, focused mainly on the export Mineral deposits, including copper, gold, and oil, account for nearly two-thirds of export earnings.

Natural gas reserves amount to an estimated 155 billion cubic meters.

A consortium led by a major American oil company is constructing a liquefied natural Numerous challenges still face the government of Peter O'NEILL, including providing physical security for foreign investors, regaining investor confidence, restoring integrity to state institutions, promoting economic efficiency by privatizing moribund st refugees (country of origin): 9,368 (Indonesia) (2015) IDPs: 6,300 (natural disasters, tribal conflict, inter-communal violence, development projects) (2015) Trafficking in persons: current situation: Papua New Guinea is a source and destination country for men, women, and children subjected to sex trafficking and forced labor; foreign and Papua New Guinean women and children are subjected to sex trafficking, domestic servitude, forced begging, and street vending; parents may sell girls into forced marriages to settle debts or as peace offerings or trade them to another tribe to forge a political alliance, leaving them vulnerable to forced domestic service, or, in urban areas, they may prostitute their children for income or to pay school fees; Chinese, Malaysian, and local men are forced to labor in logging and mining camps through debt bondage schemes; migrant women from Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, China, and the

 Philippines are subjected to sex trafficking and domestic servitude at logging and mining camps, fisheries, and entertainment sites tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Papua New Guinea does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so; the Criminal Code Amendment of 2013, which prohibits all forms of trafficking was brought into force in 2014; the government also formed an anti-trafficking committee, which drafted a national action plan; despite corruption problems, trafficking-related crimes were prosecuted in village courts rather than criminal courts, resulting in restitution to the victim but no prison time for offenders; the government did not investigate, prosecute, or convict any officials or law enforcement personnel complicit in trafficking offenses; the government made no efforts to proactively identify trafficking victims, has no formal victim identification and referral mechanism, and does not provide care facilities to victims or funding to shelters run by NGOs or international organizations (2015) | Politics , Guinea , Indonesia , Papua New Guinea When the Dutch decolonised their East Indies empire after the Second World War they handed it all to the emergent country of Indonesia - all except the territory of West Papua, which forms one half of New Guinea, the second

 largest island on Earth.

This remarkable landmass - split neatly by colonial powers into West Papua and Papua New Guinea - is like few other places in the world. Its mountainous terrain and dense rainforests have spawned extraordinary linguistic diversity among its indigenous population, some of whom are still in uncontacted tribes. Five decades ago few, if any of these tribes, showed any desire for their land to become an extension of Indonesia, a new nation state with which they shared neither history, culture, religion nor ethnicity, but which wanted resource-rich West Papua within its borders. The Dutch resisted Indonesia's demands for a while, beginning to invest in West Papuan education and encouraging nationalism. But eventually global realpolitik intervened in the shape of US President Kennedy. Concerned about the possibility of communism spreading across South and Southeast Asia, the Kennedy administration saw Indonesia as a useful regional ally that should be kept happy. In 1963, with American backing, the United Nations gave Indonesia caretaker rights over the territory, on condition that a referendum on independence should follow. But when the poll - named, without apparent irony, as the 'Act Of Free Choice' - took place in 1969 it was widely perceived as a sham.

From a population of around of 800,000, just over 1,000 tribal elders were selected by the Indonesians to represent the nation. Allegedly threatened, intimidated and held in seclusion, they voted as they were told. Ignoring well-founded international protests that the referendum had been rigged, the UN accepted the result and West Papua moved from being a Dutch colony to an Indonesian province. But a West Papuan resistance movement, the Free Papua Organisation (OPM), soon started fighting back - in the first instance using bows and arrows to capture the guns of the Indonesian military. A sporadic, low level conflict has continued ever since. It has never been an even fight (a few thousand unfunded guerrillas against the well-equipped modern army of the world's fourth most populous nation) and Amnesty International and other human rights groups estimate that the Papuan death toll has reached in excess of 100,000 over the years. Some believe it might be even higher, although it is hard to know for sure because the Indonesian authorities have never welcomed independent monitors and foreign reporting is banned.

Even today, 15 years after a democracy replaced Indonesia's dictatorial President Suharto, West Papua is still one of the most policed places on the planet - with approximately 30,000 security personnel dealing with an indigenous population of around two million. According to Jennifer Robinson, from International Lawyers for West Papua, it has also become one of the most brutal places on the planet. "West Papuans have suffered all forms of human rights abuse, whether it be torture, enforced disappearances, killings, extreme restrictions upon freedom of expression," she says. Amnesty International is equally critical. In August 2012 it said it continued to receive "credible reports of human rights violations committed by the security forces … including torture and other ill-treatment, unnecessary and excessive use of force and firearms by the security forces and possible unlawful killings. Investigations into reports of human rights violations by the security forces are rare and only a few perpetrators have been brought to justice." For its part, the Indonesian government routinely denies such charges and claims the actions of its security forces in West Papua are simply a necessary counterpoint to a criminal insurgency that threatens law and order, the safety of the population and the legitimacy of the state.

Over the last decade, however, the dynamics of this struggle have begun to change, with the emergence - alongside the armed struggle - of a new civic non-violent independence movement, the West Papuan National Committee (KNPB). Its membership has grown exponentially and it has bred a new generation of activists focused on both organising non-violent mass protest and making the outside world more aware of their plight. And that, says Robinson, has provoked the Indonesians into a predictably harsh response. "In the past few years we've seen a change in the security situation in West Papua - I think in response to the growing momentum behind their campaign for a referendum on self-determination which has got widespread popular support, but which is also gaining momentum internationally. [It has] resulted in a greater security crackdown on all peaceful activists who are in any way affiliated with the independence movement," Robinson says. So what lies behind this five-decade-old struggle and why, in the face of Indonesia's heavy handed intransigence, are activists so determined to continue with their campaigns and protests? People & Power sent filmmaker Dom Rotheroe and fixer Sally Collister to find out.

Because it is virtually impossible for foreign journalists to obtain official permission to visit the territory they travelled in the guise of tourists. Filming discreetly, keeping a low profile and evading the attention of the security police they managed to meet up with KNPB supporters and activists and hear a remarkable story of a people committed to doing whatever it takes to gain control of their own destiny. People & Power can be seen each week at the following times GMT: Wednesday: 2230; Thursday: 0930; Friday: 0330; Saturday: 1630; Sunday: 2230; Monday: 0930. Click here for more People & Power Source: Al Jazeera

Question: The island of New Guinea is split between Papua New Guinea to the east and which country to the west?
Answer: INDONESIA